Bangladesh Baseball-Softball Association (BBSA) will kick off the sixth National Women’s Baseball Championship on Thursday (30 October) at the Riya Gope Women’s Sports Complex in Dhanmondi, marking another milestone for the sport’s growing presence in the country. The three-day event will continue until 1 November 2025, featuring a record 12 participating teams from across Bangladesh.
The tournament will be inaugurated by Sheikh Bashir Ahmed, Honourable Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Commerce, Textiles and Jute, who will attend as the chief guest.
At a press conference held on Wednesday at the Dhaka National Stadium, BBSA officials expressed their ambition to use the event as a platform to identify new talent and strengthen the national women’s baseball team.
Senior Vice-President Dr. Anupam Hossain highlighted the championship’s importance in expanding the sport beyond Dhaka. “When we took responsibility, our target was to reach eight divisions and 20 districts for this tournament,” he said. “So far, we have covered six divisions and 12 districts, alongside eight schools and eight universities, 4 public, 4 private to promote the game. Our goal is to see Bangladesh participate in the South Asian Games soon as we are trying to add baseball in SA games.”
General Secretary Talha Yubaer emphasised the association’s efforts to spread baseball to rural regions. “We have expanded our development programmes outside Dhaka. Many of the players competing here were scouted from these areas,” he said. “This is the first time a national baseball tournament in Bangladesh includes teams from beyond the capital.”
This year’s event has drawn teams from Bangladesh Ansar & VDP, Bangladesh Police, Dhaka District, Chattogram Baseball Club, Sand Angels Baseball Club, Savar Community Club, Joypurhat District, Joypurhat Baseball-Softball Club, Narayanganj District, Sylhet District, Chandpur District, and Kushtia District.
Due to time constraints, the matches will follow a knockout format from the beginning.
Dhaka division captain Sumaiya is very excited about this tournament. She said “I was a big cricket fan since childhood and baseball is somewhat similar in hitting the ball, so it excites me. Though our preparation is not the best due to lack of practice grounds but I think it will open the scope for us to represent baseball to Bangladeshi people.”
Although there will be no prize money for the winners or runners-up this year, BBSA will provide food, accommodation, and full uniforms for all teams. Smaller cash awards will be presented to the Player of the Final (৳5,000) and the Most Valuable Player (৳10,000), along with trophies, medals, and certificates for the top three teams.
Dr. Anupam admitted that the lack of sponsorship limited their financial scope. “We approached City Group, Bashundhara Group, and another company. They advised us to organise this women event first. If we manage it successfully, they will sponsor the upcoming men’s tournament next month,” he explained.
Despite financial challenges, organisers hope the championship will inspire young women to pursue baseball and represent Bangladesh internationally. As Dr. Anupam concluded, “This is a small step, but it’s the beginning of a big journey for women’s baseball in our country.”
